vi coding stage. Even

vi coding stage. Even though I cannot mention their names, they know who they are and I want them to know that their work is greatly appreciated. My appreciation is also due to the staff of the National Library Service and the National Assembly Library in Lilongwe, the National Archives and the University of Malawi and Chancellor College Libraries in Zomba for their assistance during the data collection exercise. In the same vein, I also thank Mr. George Chipala at the Nation Publications Limited archives in Blantyre, and Mr. Sam Banda at the Blantyre Newspapers Limited archives also in Blantyre. Their help was invaluable. My family deserve my thanks as well. My mother, Mrs. Sikelina Mchakulu, prayed ceaselessly and relentlessly. She encouraged and provided emotional support. From the very depth of my heart, I am very thankful to her. My deep gratitude goes to my sister Mrs. Doris Mtemwende and her family for emotional support and a relaxing atmosphere at their home. Very special thanks are due to my brother Mr. Charles Mchakulu and his family for support, emotional, material and financial. To Charles, I say: “You are my only brother; you are also my keeper.” I am deeply indebted to my sister Mrs. Lines Chilimira and her husband Wezi and their children for the love and the financial assistance required for the final push. Thanks to my sister Mrs. Miriam Chawanda and “my friend” for emotional support. I thank Mr. Jacob Mderu and his family for further support especially around June 2010, and Mr. Thokozani Kachale and Mr. Chifundo Kachale and their families for support throughout. Similar sentiments go to my mother- in-law, Mrs. Feresta Kachale, and my brother in law, Mr. Allan Kachale, in Ndirande. God bless you all! I also received invaluable support from my friends in the United States of America. I am deeply appreciative to Mr. and Mrs. Barry Vickery for prayer, financial, and material support during crucial times of my studies. I owe a debt of thanks to Dr. Cliff

vii Fortenberry, Dr. Merle Ziegler, Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Wanda Mosley at Mississippi College. Special thanks to my fellow Christians at Central Baptist Church, Leicester - particularly to Pastor Chris White, Mrs. Akua Sai and Mrs. Mayamiko Manduwa. I owe a debt of thanks to Mr. Colin Hide, Mr. Paul Limb and the group of sub-wardens at Gilbert Murray Stamford Hall between October 2008 and January 2011. In particular, to Paul (especially around January 2011) and Mr. William Vanderpuye for arranging the first submission in February 2011, and making arrangements for my return to Leicester in July 2011. To them I will forever be grateful. I also thank God for the friendship of my fellow students in the doctoral programme in the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Leicester from 2006, Dr. Chih Jung Fan and Dr. Patama Satawedin. They have my best wishes for the future. Finally, although no words of acknowledgement are enough here, I thank God for the lives of the late Mrs. Frances Sutcliffe and her husband, Fred. I thank the Rev. Alan Westwood and his wife, somewhere in the United Kingdom. Frances Sutcliffe and the Westwoods were God‟s answer to my prayers when He laid it on their hearts to give me a scholarship to African Bible College way back in 1991. Sir Isaac Newton once said: “If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants.” All of you mentioned above are my giants, and I have been standing on your shoulders. Needless to say, I am solely responsible for this thesis. Whatever mistakes contained in the thesis should be attributed to me.